Referee vs baseball umpire

The differences between referees and baseball umpires can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a referee has an average salary of $56,571, which is higher than the $36,982 average annual salary of a baseball umpire.

The top three skills for a referee include safety regulations, CPR and game rules. The most important skills for a baseball umpire are umpires, safety regulations, and softball games.

Referee vs baseball umpire overview

	Referee	Baseball Umpire
Yearly salary	$56,571	$36,982
Hourly rate	$27.20	$17.78
Growth rate	32%	32%
Number of jobs	6,164	284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	33	33
Years of experience	-	-

Referee vs baseball umpire salary

Referees and baseball umpires have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Referee	Baseball Umpire
Average salary	$56,571	$36,982
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $127,000	Between $24,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City	Philadelphia, PA	-
Highest paying state	Pennsylvania	-
Best paying company	Syracuse University	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between referee and baseball umpire education

There are a few differences between a referee and a baseball umpire in terms of educational background:

	Referee	Baseball Umpire
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Referee vs baseball umpire demographics

Here are the differences between referees' and baseball umpires' demographics:

	Referee	Baseball Umpire
Average age	33	33
Gender ratio	Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3%	Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 4.9% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between referee and baseball umpire duties and responsibilities

Referee example responsibilities.

Manage conflicts and resolutions between other umpires and coaches/parents.
Certify in CPR if need and remain calm in stressful situations.
Age groups ranging from coach pitch to NCAA.
Court referee- run up and down the court watching for fouls, travels, double dribbles, etc.
Pool and championship competitive league umpire.
Implement a CPR class for incoming referees.

Baseball umpire example responsibilities.

Manage and schedule umpires for recreational program
Hone leadership skills, maintain schedule to ensure games start and end on time.
Assume the responsibility of leadership with players and coaches without constant and specific direction and/or supervision.
Instruct kids of various ages how to pitch, hit, and play baseball the correct and professional way.
Work with fellow umpires as part of a team; also work with coaches, parents and DSYSA management daily.
Provide instruction and refinement to motor developmental skills for athletes for kids of all ages that want to play baseball.

Referee vs baseball umpire skills

Common referee skills

Safety Regulations, 47%
CPR, 8%
Game Rules, 7%
Hockey Games, 4%
Safety Rules, 4%
Intramural Sports, 3%

Common baseball umpire skills

Umpires, 32%
Safety Regulations, 9%
Softball Games, 7%
Conflict Resolution, 7%
Judgment Calls, 6%
Stressful Situations, 5%

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Referee vs Baseball Umpire

Updated January 8, 2025

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